


Unmask

by kiite



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Flirting, M/M, Waltzing, idk man the setting is not concrete but its not op verse, s. sort of?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:47:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28085673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiite/pseuds/kiite
Summary: Ace breaks in, Sanji breaks out.
Relationships: Portgas D. Ace/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 13
Kudos: 63





	Unmask

**Author's Note:**

> lil thing that sort of just started as an excuse to write some fun dialogue between sanji and ace, turned into this. hope u enjoy

Ace didn’t like feeling out of place. It was something he’d never liked; he much preferred being in the company of his family and friends, comfortable, free to be himself.

Not stuck in a cheap, stuffy suit, acting like he belonged amongst the gaggle of aristocrats occupying the same ballroom as him. With a stupid cat mask on, to boot. 

He had come to this big, fancy masquerade ball with the intention of swiping a few valuables from some preoccupied rich people and leaving as fast as possible. However, his plans had been put on hold by the sheer volume of guards who had moved in seemingly after his arrival. Ace had to hope it wasn’t a sign that he had been noticed.

Unsure what to do next, Ace loitered in an unoccupied area— not too isolated as to look suspect, but not close enough to be questioned, either. Or at least, he had hoped that would be the case.

“You’re not supposed to be here, are you?” A voice asked from behind him. Ace turned, as naturally and gracefully as he could manage so as not to rouse suspicion, and smiled at his accuser. 

A man who he had not seen at all that night was walking towards him, his posture and sleek navy suit giving him an air of simple elegance that was distinctly different than the stuffy poshness of the other guests at the ball. As was to be expected, he wore an elaborate mask; it only took a moment for Ace to recognize it as the likeness of a ram. The part that covered his face was stark white, so much so that Ace could have mistaken it for a real skull. The large, flashy horns that spiraled outwards were decorated with a lustrous gold— with this crowd, it could very well be real.

_ Rich people,  _ Ace thought to himself, suppressing a grimace.

Instead, he opted for: “What makes you say that, stranger? You don’t even know who I am. That’s the point of these,” he reached up and tapped his own mask, “Right?”

The man’s one visible eye— the other was curtained by his blond hair that had been parted over his mask— squinted in amusement. “You look like you're having way too much fun,  _ stranger _ ,” he answered, smiling subtly. “Read the room; no one actually  _ enjoys _ these kinds of events.” The man stepped closer, leaning slightly into Ace’s personal space. “Also, your mask looks like it’s made of cardboard.”

Ace’s first instinct was to glance around and evaluate the other guests, but that would leave him with no defense from the accusations. Without breaking eye contact, Ace offered his hand to the stranger. “Care for a dance?” 

There was a clear implication in the words:  _ Let’s continue this conversation elsewhere.  _ The mystery man’s smile faltered for a moment, and he suddenly became hesitant. Ace was afraid that he might reject the offer, run off and tell someone important about the commoner who had snuck in and was probably planning something bad. 

Relief flooded through Ace when the other man’s slim, gloved hand accepted his own. With what he hoped was an appropriately polite smile, Ace led him to the dance floor and they began to waltz. Being slightly taller, Ace took the lead; however, he couldn’t help but feel a bit outclassed by his dance partner. The other man clearly had more formal training, and Ace could only imagine the frustration building inside him with each of Ace’s successive missteps.

“So,” Ace said, his voice low. The waltz allowed them to be close enough that he could speak quietly. “What brings you here?” 

“If I’m being honest…” the man paused, considering his next words. “Well, I’m not exactly supposed to be here either.” 

Ace couldn’t keep the surprise off his face. “I wouldn’t have guessed. You certainly look the part.” Now that they were closer together, Ace could see small, intricate gold detailing on the face of the mask. He unconsciously traced the curls with his eyes.

“If appearances were everything, life would be much easier,” the man replied simply, eager to move on. “Now, I get to ask: what brings  _ you _ here? Trying to assassinate a noble? Rob the palace? Eat free fancy food?”

“The night is still young,” Ace answered vaguely, shrugging. He couldn’t help grinning, body swaying to the music. Despite the danger of the situation, he had to admit it was fun. He didn’t particularly dislike his dance partner, either. “Though, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t indulged in the food at least a  _ bit. _ It was too good to pass up.” 

Despite the cover of his mask, Ace could practically hear the smile in the other man’s voice as he responded. “Glad to hear you have good taste in food, at least. Could use some work when it comes to suits, though.”

“Best I could manage on short notice,” Ace answered with a shrug. “Hey, I’ve got good taste in other things. I’m dancing with you, after all.” 

His comment seems to stump his partner for a moment, creating a pause in their back-and-forth. Ace wondered if perhaps he had been a bit too forward, especially in a situation like this, and he considered attempting to pull it back a bit. However, he could tell that the other man was ready to speak again, so he stayed quiet.

_ “SANJI!” _

Ace nearly jumped out of his skin as a booming voice instantly silenced the chatter in the ballroom. Ace felt his partner tense up under his hands, and he suddenly wished their masks were gone and he could see exactly what he was feeling. The hand on his shoulder clutched the fabric of his cheap suit tightly, enough so that it pinched his skin and almost made him wince. 

Glancing over the man’s—Sanji, maybe?— shoulder, Ace’s stomach dropped as he saw the imposing silhouette of King Judge on the grand staircase. His posture radiated anger, and Ace’s first instinct was to bolt. It was natural, when one finds themselves in a place they should not be. 

Clearly, he was not the only one with that impulse. Before he realized what was happening, Ace was being dragged away, nearly stumbling over his feet as his dance partner ran. He had a tight grip on Ace’s hand; they had been clasped together, mid-waltz, and clearly neither of them had let go. It didn’t take long for Ace to regain his footing, and he ran as well, allowing himself to be guided by the stranger. 

It felt like they ran for hours. Together, they burst out the front door of the castle, rushing past confused partygoers and guards. Ace moved his free hand to his mask; with the wind rushing past them, he felt that it might slip off. When he became aware of his surroundings again, he realized that they had moved to the gardens. In front of them, the entrance to the hedge maze loomed.

Something inside Ace’s head told him to pull his hand free, to run far away from this place. To not allow himself to be made vulnerable by being dragged into a maze he had no idea how to get out of. But something else stopped him— he wasn’t sure exactly what, but he felt as though he needed to reach his destination before he could let go. And so, he allowed himself to be dragged into the maze.

The other man seemed to know every turn by heart. He did not stop once, guiding them through what felt like an endless labyrinth while adrenaline pumped through both of them. Looking at the walls pressing in on them, Ace noticed the small buds of unbloomed flowers, nestled into the thick blanket of leaves. He wondered what kind they were.

Ace finally started to wonder what came after this— after they stopped. He wouldn’t have to wait too long for an answer, though, as they stepped out into an open area and Ace breathed a sigh of relief. It had to be the center of the maze, Ace reckoned. There was a charming little gazebo tucked away against the leaves, and not much else. The other man stopped to catch his breath when he realized that he was still holding Ace’s hand. They locked eyes for a moment before the mystery man suddenly released Ace’s hand as though it had burned him. 

“Shit, I—“ he said, stepping back once, “I don’t know why I dragged you along. I, uh, forgot you were there, I guess.” Ace could tell he was winded from the long, tense run by the way he kept glancing over to the seating in the gazebo.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ace said, stepping into the gazebo and seating himself on one of the smooth, cold benches. He gestured for his partner in crime to follow, and he did, stepping nervously in and taking a seat himself. “To be honest, I didn’t really want to be stuck in a room with that guy either; my plan had always been to book it when he showed his face. So thanks for the quick escape— Sanji, I’m guessing?” 

The other man let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, that’s me. Guess there wasn’t any point to this,” Sanji said, reaching up to remove his mask. As it came off, Ace got his first good look at Sanji’s face, and his inner monologue quickly jumped from  _ wow, he’s more handsome than I thought  _ to  _ wait _ to  _ you’ve got to be shitting me. _

“You’re a  _ prince?! _ ” Ace exclaimed, his eyes wide. On his face, plain as day without the cover of the mask, was the same unmistakable curled eyebrow that all of Judge’s sons were known for. Though he’d never heard the name “Sanji Vinsmoke” come up before, Ace didn’t have a single doubt in his mind that this man was royalty. Was this— could he be  _ executed _ for this? For any of the things he pulled tonight? Ace was starting to consider the pros and cons of just bolting now and trying to find his way out of the maze himself, before he could get in any deeper shit.

Seeming to sense Ace’s oncoming panic, Sanji sighed and set his mask down on the round, stone table separating them. “I’m really a prince in name only,” he said, looking down. “I’ve been letting Judge down since I was a kid. He’s always been pretty ashamed of me, so he just tells people that I developed some kind of illness that’s left me bedridden since I was a child. It’s an effective way of garnering sympathy and keeping me out of the public eye at the same time, I guess.” 

Ace blinked, and he felt his panic ebbing away and being replaced with something else, something softer. “Do you… not leave the castle?” 

Sanji shook his head from side to side, his blond fringe swaying as he did. “Sometimes I come out here, to the gardens. I must have gone through this maze hundreds of times. It’s nice out here— I used to take care of the flowers with, uh— with my mom. She was really nice.”

_ Queen Sora _ , Ace thought to himself. Even though he was only seven or eight at the time, Ace still remembered the day she passed. The news had been cried in every city, with the utmost grief, and services had been held across the land. Though she had a reputation for kindness that paralleled her husband’s tyranny, Ace had not understood the grief expected of him at the news of her passing.  _ So what if another rich jerk dies in their comfy castle,  _ he had thought at the time, full of anger at the way the world had treated him. Now, he was beginning to understand that her kindness may have saved more people than he gave her credit for. 

“But, yeah— I can’t leave the castle grounds. The cooks are really nice, too. They let me cook with them, even though I’m not supposed to. 

“Do you ever want more than that out of life?” Ace asked. He was pretty sure he knew the answer, but he couldn’t stop himself from asking. “Doesn’t seem like any way to live, if you ask me.” 

“I just—“ Sanji said, looking like he wanted to curl in on himself. “I feel like… a ghost. You know, I’m— I can’t be seen, I shouldn’t be heard, everybody in this castle wants me  _ gone _ but I still can’t  _ leave _ !” He was growing more exasperated with every word, his hands finding their way to his hair and clutching tightly. “I don’t want to live like this anymore, it’s— it’s unbearable. I don’t know what to do.” 

Ace was quiet as he watched the man’s facade crumble completely. Any traces of the smooth, snarky stranger in the suit Ace had danced with had left for the time being, leaving only the vulnerable, distraught prince behind. He looked like he was moments away from tears, but would never allow himself. Ace wasn’t sure what to say.

“I’m sorry,” Sanji sighed, swallowing hard. He untangled his hands from his hair, folding them politely on the table. “I don’t even know you. I’ll, um… I’ll show you the way out, so you can go home. You shouldn’t have gotten caught up in all this anyways.” He spoke in a reserved, closed-off manner that made Ace frown.

“Be honest with me,” Ace asked, leaning forward with his elbows on the cold stone. “How was my dancing?” 

Sanji blinked, caught off guard by the non sequitur. “What?” 

“My dancing,” Ace reiterated, “how was it? You don’t have to be nice.”

“Well, if I’m being honest…” Sanji paused, a small smile creeping onto his face, “You’re probably the worst dance partner I’ve ever had. You stepped on my foot at least six times, and I’m half convinced we weren’t even doing the same dance. If you hadn’t been such an interesting person to talk to, I probably would have snuck off.” 

Ace leaned back, clutching his heart in mock pain. “You wound me! I thought I did pretty good for a guy who’s never set foot in a ballroom.” Facing Sanji again, he grinned. “I think I need a teacher— you know anyone good? Maybe someone blond and handsome with a lot of free time?”

There was a moment where Ace was afraid his comment had gone completely over the prince’s head, as the man in question simply stared at him. He could practically see the gears turning in Sanji’s head, and it was another moment before he spoke.

“I… don’t recommend you come back here,” Sanji said quietly, looking away. “I’m not really supposed to see other people at all. You’re nice, and I don’t want to get you into any more trouble than I already have.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong— I’m never setting foot in this place again!” Ace laughed, leaning forward on his elbows. “Too many guards; I couldn’t even swipe anything good. I was thinking more along the lines of you and me at my place? It’s not as fancy, but hey— no jackass kings!” 

Sanji huffed in frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Look, I already told you— I  _ can’t  _ leave, I can’t just sneak out, my father will—“ 

“What can your dad do if you leave?” Ace interrupted, his tone serious. “You can’t tell me you’ve never thought about running away before.” 

Biting his lip, Sanji fidgeted with his hands. “I  _ have _ , but… I’m a liability. He’ll send people after me, and when he catches me, he’ll— he’ll…” Sanji’s stress seemed to spike again, and Ace guessed he was fighting the urge to yank on his hair as he had earlier. “I know where he’ll put me, and I can’t go back to that.”

“Hmm,” Ace hummed, drumming his fingers on the table. “You ever had someone on the outside offering to help before?” 

Sanji pondered his words for a moment. “No, actually, I haven’t. This is a first.” His eyes flicked back over to Ace’s, and the slimmest glimmer of hope was present in them. “Do you think I could really… You think it would work? I— we could hide somewhere?” 

“I live pretty far out,” Ace replied, nodding. “Up in the forest on the mountainside. Basically never see soldiers over there; they don’t know how to deal with the wildlife.” 

With intensity in his gaze, Sanji stared at Ace. He was searching his eyes, likely looking for any hint of deception. “Take that stupid mask off,” he said, not breaking eye contact.

Ace raised his eyebrows, momentarily confused, before remembering that he still had his cheap masquerade mask on. He snorted, reaching up and pulling it off. “Better?” 

Newly unmasked, Sanji scanned Ace’s face, memorizing every detail now that it was available to him. “Yeah,” he replied, rising from the bench and stepping out of the gazebo. “Alright. Let’s do it.” 

Following his lead, Ace rose as well. He stretched his back, getting ready to move again after their break. “Sounds good. Take the lead, prince.” 

The entrance to return to the maze loomed in front of them. Without a word, Sanji reached a hand behind himself, palm open in a clear invitation. Smiling, Ace took it, lacing their fingers together in a solid grasp. Together, the two of them stepped forward into the tangle of leaves and flower buds, thinking about what would come next. 


End file.
